Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: Shaan Mishra, a recent graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, captured national attention after claiming victory on Jeopardy! on October 24. His remarkable turnaround during the episode left both viewers and fellow contestants amazed.
Mishra, who completed his economics degree with a minor in computer science earlier this year, competed against Kristina Pohribnij, a stay-at-home mother, and three-time champion Tom Devlin, an attorney who earned his law degree from Penn Carey Law School in 2007.
In an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian, Mishra shared that the game started off rough. “At first, I couldn’t get the timing right with the buzzer,” he said. “I thought it might not go well, but I tried to stay calm and just focus on playing my best — and that helped in the end.”
Although trailing through much of the competition, Mishra’s game changed when he hit a crucial Daily Double in the category “You ‘SC’ & You ‘CLA’.” His correct answer, “What is the sclera?”, boosted his score to second place. Heading into Final Jeopardy, Devlin led with $22,800, followed by Mishra with $15,600 and Pohribnij at $10,800. The last clue, under the “Relics” category, sealed the win for Mishra — he chose not to wager, answered correctly, and surpassed Devlin, who lost his bet.
The 23-year-old, originally from Carmel, Indiana, described the victory as “a feeling of total shock.” A self-proclaimed trivia enthusiast, Mishra said he applied to the show “on a whim.” Once selected, he delayed starting his consulting job to dedicate several weeks to preparation — even continuing to study while on a backpacking trip. Using his computer science background, he reviewed old Jeopardy! episodes and analyzed question trends.
Mishra attributes his success to a mix of curiosity and focus. “Most of what I’ve learned just comes from being interested in everything,” he said.
His debut win places him among the select few who have managed to defeat a multi-game champion on their first appearance. The victory was celebrated widely by University of Pennsylvania alumni and Jeopardy! fans alike. Mishra will return to defend his title in the next episode.
